Phalaenopsis orchid plant named ‘Winterday’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Phalaenopsis  plant named ‘Winterday’ particularly characterized by flowers which are white; within the labellum some yellow and purple; plants which may be propagated economically and uniformly using tissue culture; plants which produce more than one inflorescence; long and sturdy inflorescences; and relatively short, dark-green foliage.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Phalaenopsishybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Winterday’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPhalaenopsis plant, botanically known as Phalaenopsis of the Orchidaceaefamily, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Winterday’.

Phalaenopsis comprises a genus of about 55 species of herbaceousperennials many of which, or the hybrids thereof, are suitable forcultivation in the home or greenhouse. Phalaenopsis is predominantlyepiphytic or rock-dwelling, and is native to tropical Asia, the MalayArchipelago, and Oceania. The species typically has 2-ranked, fleshy,oblong or elliptic leaves affixed to a short central stem (monopodialgrowth), which vary in size from 5 to 8 inches to over 2 feet. Theleaves may be entirely green or mottled with silver grey.

Phalaenopsis orchids, often referred to as ‘Moth Orchids’ in thehorticultural trade, are frequently used to furnish cut flowers for theflorist trade or sold as flowering potted-plants for home orinteriorscape.

Phalaenopsis produces upright or pendent lateral racemes, often withmany showy flowers which open in succession beginning with thelowermost. The flowers possess three sepals and three petals; thelateral ones being alike. The lowermost petal, called the labellum, isthree-lobed and is often more brightly-colored than the other flowersegments. Flower colors include various shades of pink, white, yellowand red-brown.

Phalaenopsis orchids are typically propagated from seeds. Asexualpropagation of Phalaenopsis is often done from off-shoots whichfrequently arise from the lower bracts of the inflorescence. Theresulting plants are detached from the mother plant and may be plantedin a suitable substrate.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘Winterday’ is a product of a controlled breedingprogram conducted by the inventors, René Schoone, in Strengweg,Heemskerk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was todevelop a new Phalaenopsis cultivar particularly characterized by itsattractive and unique colored flowers, economical propagation via tissueculture, rapid growth, and a plant dimension suitable for packaging andshipping to the market.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘Winterday’ originated from a cross made by theinventor in 1998 in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands. The female orseed parent is the Phalaenopsis cultivar designated ‘Sogo Yukidian’,unpatented. The male or pollen parent is the Phalaenopsis cultivardesignated ‘World Class’, unpatented. The new Phalaenopsis ‘Winterday’was discovered and selected by the inventor as a single flowering plantwithin the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in2006 in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phalaenopsis cultivar by tissue culturewas first performed in November, 2006 in Cieweg 13, Heemskerk, TheNetherlands, and has demonstrated that the combination ofcharacteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmlyfixed and retained through successive generations of asexualreproduction. The new cultivar asexually reproduces true-to-type.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe unique characteristics of ‘Winterday’, which in combinationdistinguish this Phalaenopsis as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. flowers which are white; within the labellum some yellow and        purple;    -   2. plant produces more than one inflorescence;    -   3. plants may be propagated economically and uniformly using        tissue culture;    -   4. inflorescence is long and sturdy; and    -   5. relatively short, dark-green foliage.

In comparison with the parental cultivars of ‘Winterday’, the femaleparent ‘Sogo Yukidian’ has large white flowers, about 12 cm in size, themale parent ‘World Class’ has white flowers, about 10 cm in size,whereas the flowers of ‘Winterday’ are about 11 cm in size.

Presently, the most commercially similar cultivars to ‘Winterday’ arethe parent cultivars, ‘Sogo Yukidian’ and ‘World Class’, to which acomparison has already been provided above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Phalaenopsis ‘Winterday’ showing the colors as true as is reasonablypossible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description, which accurately describe the color of‘Winterday’.

FIG. 1 shows a side view perspective of a typical flowering plant of‘Winterday’ in a 12 cm pot, at 16 months of age.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of the typical buds and flowers of‘Winterday’.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up view of the typical leaves of ‘Winterday’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Phalaenopsis cultivar ‘Winterday’ has not been observed underall possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivarmay vary with variations in environment such as temperature, lightintensity, and day length without any change in the genotype of theplant.

The aforementioned photographs, together with the followingobservations, measurements and values describe plants of ‘Winterday’ asgrown in a greenhouse in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands, underconditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercialpractice. Initially, the ideal temperature to grow plants of ‘Winterday’is 27° C. during the day and at night. Then, during the flowering phaseof ‘Winterday’, the ideal growing temperature is 20-22° C. during theday and 18° C. at night. Light levels for growing ‘Winterday’ are aminimum of 5,000 lux and a maximum of 10,000 lux. A balanced fertilizerwith level of 200 ppm N, 87 ppm P, 168 ppm K is applied. Duration ofgrowth of ‘Winterday’ from potting size is between 10 and 14 months.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart (R.H.S.), 2007 edition, except where general colors of ordinarysignificance are used. Color values were taken under daylight conditionsat approximately noon in Zaandammerweg, Assendelft, The Netherlands. Theage of the ‘Winterday’ plants described is 12 months after potting.

-   Classification:    -   -   Botanical.—Phalaenopsis hybrid.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female or seed parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar designated            ‘Sogo Yukidian’, unpatented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar designated            ‘World Class’, unpatented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Tissue culture.        -   Rooting habit and description.—Approximately 4 mm-7 mm wide            and greyed/green in color (RHS 194A and RHS N189D); freely            branching. It takes 12 weeks for plants growing in tissue            culture to initiate roots.-   Plant:    -   -   Size at maturity.—Height (from bottom of pot to the highest            flower): about 75 cm. Spread: about 50 cm.        -   Growth habit.—Standard; green leaves (RHS N137A) and a            relatively normal raceme.        -   Vigor.—Moderate.        -   Crop time.—Following asexual propagation, at about 26 weeks            2 leaves appear; at about 30 weeks 3-4 leaves appear; after            a cold treatment of about 4-8 weeks at a temperature of            about 19° C. about 2 racemes with flowers appear.-   Foliage:    -   -   Quantity per plant.—About 6 to 8 leaves are produced before            flowering.        -   Arrangement and attachment.—Half up/horizontal and on two            sides.        -   Overall shape of leaf.—Oval, the tip is blunt and            asymmetric.        -   Texture (both surfaces).—Smooth and leathery.        -   Pubescence.—None.        -   Mature leaf length.—About 10 to 25 cm.        -   Mature leaf width.—About 5 to 10 cm.        -   Mature leaf thickness.—About 2 mm.        -   Mature leaf color.—Upper side: green (RHS N137A). Under            side: green (RHS 137B).        -   Leaf base.—Acute.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Venation.—Pattern: parallel. Color of midvein: upper side:            green (RHS N137A). Under side: green (RHS 137B).-   Raceme:    -   -   Quantity per plant.—About 1 to 2.        -   Number of flowers per raceme.—About 4 to 8.        -   Length.—About 75 cm to 85 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 5 mm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Upright.        -   Texture.—Glabrous and smooth.        -   Color.—Green (RHS N137A) with green (RHS 137D).        -   Internode.—Length: about 30 to 40 mm.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Upright to slightly pendant, racemose            inflorescence with bilaterally symmetrical flowers that open            in succession beginning with the lowermost flower.        -   Buds.—Height (from base to tip): about 15 mm to 25 mm.            Diameter (at midpoint): about 15 mm to 25 mm. Shape:            oval/egg-shaped. Color: yellow/green (RHS 145A and RHS            145B). Orientation: same orientation as the flowers (forward            facing).        -   Flowering time.—For an untreated plant (flowering plant that            has not undergone cold-treatment where the plant grows at a            temperature of 18° C. to 19° C. for about 4 to 8 weeks after            a period of about 30 weeks at a temperature of 25° C.), 2            racemes appear with about 16 to 20 flower buds and flowers            per inflorescence. First flowers can be expected            approximately 4 to 6 months after planting a plant with a            leaf diameter of 3 to 5 cm. Flowers persistent.        -   Flowering longevity.—On the plant: about 4 to 6 months;            lastingness of cut flowers: has not been observed.        -   Fragrance.—No fragrance.        -   Flower.—Rate of opening: Flowers fully opened about 2 to 3            days after petal and sepal separation. Orientation at            opening: slanted upward and outward. Shape: Typical shape of            Phalaenopsis; see FIG. 2. Size: Height of single bloom:            about 95 mm. Diameter of single bloom: about 110 mm. Depth            of tube: about 20 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: three petals and three            sepals that are trimerous, overlapping and arranged in 2            whorls. Petals are more pronounced than sepals. Arrangement:            Inner whorl comprises 3 petals, 2 lateral petals and            labellum. 2 lateral petals: Overall shape: broadly ovate and            weakly cupped. Apex: oval. Margin: entire and weakly            undulate. Base: broadly ovate. Length: about 67 mm. Width:            about 50 mm. Texture: Upper surface: smooth and satiny.            Under surface: smooth and satiny. Color (when fully opened):            upper and under surface: white (RHS NN155D). Labellum:            Overall shape: 3-lobed with 2 prominent callosities at            central junction of the lateral lobes and base of the            midlobe. Lateral lobes of labellum fold upward about the            column; the midlobe extends forward and is terminated by 2            filiform appendages at the apex. Lateral lobes of the            labellum are ovate in shape while the midlobe is triangular            with a bump and a rib on it. Margin: entire and weakly            undulate. Apex: oval. Length: about 28 mm. Width (not            flattened): about 22 mm. Texture: Upper and under surface:            smooth and satiny. Color (when fully opened): Main color of            mid lobe and lateral lobes is white (RHS NN155C). The top            edges of the mid lobe are purple-red (RHS 71A) and the top            is yellow/green (RHS 1A). At the base of the lateral lobes            are red/purple stripes (RHS 71A). The bottom edges are            green/yellow (RHS 1A). Under surface: white (RHS NN155C).            Mid lobe top edges are purple/red (RHS 71B) and yellow/green            (RHS 1A). Lateral lobes bottom edges are green/yellow (RHS            1A) which runs into RHS 1C. Cirrhi: long (about 20 mm).            Color: yellow (RHS 3B). Pestle (Callosities): Length: about            5 mm. Width (not flattened): about 7 mm. Color: yellow (RHS            3A) with red/purple stripes and spots (RHS 71A).        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Outer whorl comprises 3 sepals. Overall            shape: elliptical and weakly cupped. Margin: entire and            weakly undulate. Length: about 50 mm. Width: about 30mm to            40 mm. Apex: oval. Lateral are little more pointy. Texture:            Upper and under surface: smooth and satiny. Color (when            fully opened): white (RHS NN155C) with at the lateral sepals            a light haze of green/yellow (RHS 1C). Under surface: White            (RHS NN155C) with a haze of green/yellow (RHS 1 C).        -   Pedicel.—Length: about 37 mm. Diameter: about 4 mm. Color:            white (RHS NN155B) which runs into yellow/green (RHS 145B)            and then into RHS 146C.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Arrangement.—The stamens, style and stigmas are fused into a            single, short structure called the column, possessing one            terminal anther with pollen grains united into a pollinia,            which are covered by an anther cap. The stigma is located            under the column behind the pollinia. The ovary is inferior            with three carpels present. The plant has not produced seed.        -   Column.—Length: about 12 mm. Diameter: about 7 mm. Color:            white (RHS NN155C).        -   Pollinia.—Quantity: Two. Size: about 1 mm. Color: orange            (RHS N25A).        -   Ovary.—Length: about 7 mm. Diameter: about 7 mm. Color:            white (RHS NN155C).-   Disease/pest resistance/susceptibility: No specific resistance or    susceptibility observed.-   Temperature tolerance: Tolerant to a low temperature of about 15° C.    and to a high temperature about 30° C.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Phalaenopsis plant named‘Winterday’, as illustrated and described herein.